Mac App Store now open

“With more than 1,000 apps, the Mac App Store is off to a great start,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We think users are going to love this innovative new way to discover and buy their favourite apps.”

Apple’s popular iLife ‘11 programs are available individually for £8.99 each, with Pages, Keynote and Numbers apps from iWork on sale for £11.99 a pop. There are some pricier apps too; Aperture 3 is £44.99 for example.

There are, of course, third party apps as well, including Flight Control HD, Things, SketchBook Pro and Compartments.

The Mac App Store is available for Snow Leopard users through Software Update as part of Mac OS X v10.6.6. Just open the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, choose Software Update, and follow the instructions to download the update.

If you download an app for you Mac and then upgrade to a new machine, you can take your apps with you for free. Like iOS apps, they are all linked to your Apple ID or iTunes account.